When it comes to preserving the climate we have come to know and love, this blog has documented in exhausting detail over the last five years reasons not to be optimistic. This documentation comes out of a desire to do the right thing for the planet that has given us life, not — of course — out of a desire to make anyone feel bad, although many of my readers nonetheless hold me accountable for the latter. (No matter how many interesting and/or beautiful other thoughts and visuals I may try to post.)
Such as life in the 21st century. I'm not going to whine about it; I'm very happy to be alive and posting, here and now. But it's worth remembering that past times had their own bitternesses, too many to count, and to remember how folks in the past dealt with that. A truly excellent example comes from the Big Think site via the marvelously light-footed poet Billy Collins, who recounts his life philosophy, which he describes as "hopeless optimism," and uses a Turkish proverb to explain. Here's Billy:
http://www.kaltura.com/index.php/kwidget/wid/1fcnipp9hz
And for those, like me, who weary of video, here's the proverb on which Collins bases his philosophy:
Every time the ax goes into the forest, all the trees think: At least the handle is one of us.
Kit Stolz 